Does music affect a dog's behavior? Do theylike music?

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Can dogs hear music and enjoy it? Dogs understand music or are it better to live in silence if we are by their side. This is a question we receive a lot in Barkibu and whose answer lies in your own dog. Animals, like people, develop certain tastes, philias, and manias that define their personality. Some dogs like music while others hate it.

Looking for the best relaxing music for dogs? Listen to our playlist and enjoy how it helps your dog to relax. Our relaxing music is not a cure for stress but it helps. The best way to play it is in his special place and in the exact moment.

Does music affect dog's behavior?

First of all, you have to know that loud noises make dogs very nervous. The furry ones are extremely sensitive and empathic animals and their ears are very perceptive. Firecrackers, techno music, hard rock, or loud noises, cause very high levels of stress.

Actually, for some dogs, it gets on their nerves and the anxiety rises a lot because of a hard knock on the wall, the crash of a car, or the fall of a vase to the floor; making them bark as if there were no tomorrow. They do not understand certain things that happen in our civilized world; dogs interpret them as some danger that they do not understand and they get scared or aggressive.

That already tells us something of the kind of music that they may or may not listen. If you listen to loud rock, or very strong and repetitive sounds, your dog will be scared. There are some owners who say that their furry like that sort of music, but what they don’t know is that, in many cases, anxiety grows unnoticed, increasing silently and slowly until it explodes in some way.

Does music help dogs with anxiety?

This leads us to ask ourselves what they interpret when they listen to it. In principle, they hear a more or less pleasant noise that tells them that there is activity around them. The furry ones need love and companionship; they are gregarious animals that cannot bear to be alone. They can also suffer anxiety episodes in case they feel unattended. That is why many PetLovers, who have no one to take care of their dog while they go to work, leave some music playing for them.

Used this way, the music reassures them, relaxes them, and make them believe that they are not alone. Quiet melodies help them a lot. Much better if they are very long environmental songs than a set of short three-minutes-songs that change their rhythm. The volume must be low, because they will perceive it equally well, and that will save the battery of the playing device.

So, music really calms dogs down?

It is not exactly the music that relaxes them, but the assurance that there is a quiet, serene noise that they know. Therefore, it is also good to use the same music so that they understand it as something familiar. Now you are wondering: and how do I know what songs my dog likes? The only way to know is to enjoy an afternoon listening to several soundtracks, songs, or musical themes.

His reaction must be calm. The moment he feels nervous, barking, snorting, spinning, or scratching, turn off the music. Little by little you will get to know his tastes. Once you've done it, choose a long playlist for as long as you are going to be out. Listen to it together and, when you have made sure it is pleasant, you can use it when you are not there.

Of course, beware about resorting to Spotify if it is not a premium version, because they will throw announcements from time to time with people talking that might confuse him. Better buy the songs and play them without any software of this style.

Do dogs like when I sing to them?

This is another interesting question. What your dog loves is that you look at him, that you do activities with him, and that you speak to him. The metrics of a song transmit a cadence in the speech that makes your words more predictable, so they are comfortable. That is to say, they do not like or dislike your singing, but that you spend time looking at him, enjoying him, and playing with him. That's how they are and that's why we love them so much.